Freeze!

James and Sarah, enjoying some of the x-mas gifts from their uncles (nerf guns), made me laugh:

James:  (pointing his gun) FREEZE! F - B - I !
Sarah:   (wanting to get in on the action)  Four - Five - Six!

Letters, numbers... they're all the same.  :)

And for those I haven't talked to... we had a Christmas miracle.... Sarah went potty in the toilet for the first time on Christmas Day.  Hooray!

Giants and Gingerbread!

 Just to show you a sneak peek at our tree.  It isn't finished yet, but it is coming along nicely.  We have all orange lights on the tree (thank you, Aunt Megan!).  Our tree topper is almost complete... is is a GIGANTIC baseball.   We have dozens of Giants logos in black and orange glittered up to the max all around the tree.  It's been fun.

Below we have a couple pictures of our gingerbread making.  Of course, as far as Sarah goes, the "one on the house, then one for me" was how she operated.

James Baptism

James was baptized on Saturday, December 4th.  I was misty eyed the whole week leading up to it.... I was feeling super sentimental about my baby, James, growing up.  I was worried that I would be hysterical from start to finish of the baptism, but I did so well.  No tears!  I am so proud of what a great young man James is becoming.  It was a great day surrounded by loved ones.  Thanks to everyone who came and shared in the happy day with us!

  

 

Temple Christmas Concert

No words are needed:

Our Thanksgiving Princess

Thanksgiving was fun, full of good food, great company, but it was also Sarah's 2nd birthday.  First we went to the Hampton Family Thanksgiving.  She learned how to blow out the candles there.  Then we went to Boyer Family Thanksgiving, where she made the most excited face I've ever seen when opening her presents. So cute.  Grandma Boyer made her a princess cake.  She said, "my cake, my pink".  And it was really cute that she kept saying "Happy Day, Happy Day"  all day long.

At my family's house, each Thanksgiving we take turns and each person tells one thing they are thankful for this year.  I have felt especially blessed this year that we have been able to provide for ourselves on one income.  Mark teared up as he said that he was thankful for such wonderful sisters.  Lisa was thankful for Luis and her job.  My Dad and Chris were both thankful for James and the choice he is making to be baptized.  Mom was thankful for such a great family.  I agree with all of them.  I have felt blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life... I have had the privilege of being acquainted with so many kind, honorable, loving people that have had a big impact on who I am and who I am trying to be.  I just feel so lucky!

James Turns 8

James told me that this year was the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!  :) The day before, we celebrated with my family.  James has been watching the TV show "Cake Boss" so we laughed when we asked him what kind of cake he wanted, and he told us he wanted a two-tier cake with fondAHnt and flames around the side.  He also reminded us that we have to "dirty ice" the cake before doing fondant.  He decorated a special cake all by himself for his birthday buddy, Grandpa.  They were so cute eating that cake together.  The next day, we spent the day doing fun stuff and then we had his birthday dinner at Grandma Boyers.  This year he asked for Mongolian barbecue style dinner.  It was sure tasty.

Aunt Megan and Uncle Robert got this for him.  Can you tell he's excited?

He got a new bike.  Hooray.

Way back when...

Chris, age 6

Chris, Age 4 1/2 (this is my favorite picture)

While going through photos, we found these pictures of Chris.  Look how adorable he was!  Hunny, I love you!

Chris is on the right with the plaid shirt.  Cutie pie!

Our School Endeavors

Due to the school district changing classes mid-year (budget stuff), we made the decision to home school.  I was really nervous about it and afraid to tell people, because EVERYONE has an opinion on homeschooling.  But I felt that due to what was happening at the school district and more importantly, to James' education in class, I had no other choice.

So we have been homeschooling the past two weeks.  It has been pretty awesome (and also tons of work).  James has been able to enroll in a foreign language and is now LOVING Spanish.  That has been most fun for both of us.  We do science projects and art projects and are keeping very, very busy!

SF Giants Parade

On Wednesday, Chris and I went to the SF Giants parade celebrating their first World Series win since 1954.  It was CRAZY.  People were everywhere, packed in like sardines.  You could go nowhere to escape the crowd.  Chris made us leave at 2:30 a.m. to be at the BART as soon as it opened at 4:00 a.m.  It was funny to see the faces of the regular commuters looking around as the BART was filling up with Giants fans.  They are used to having an empty BART train at 4:00 a.m.  We got to the Civic Center and parked ourselves waiting for the action.  We all came home smelling like marijuana.  You would have thought Prop 19 had passed the way so many people smoked it out there. We saw some chick fights... and the whole crowd was yelling, "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry".  And it did pretty much look like a Jerry Springer show.  The day was hot, and by the time the speeches were going, the crowd was getting funky, lots of B.O. nastiness.  I can't even explain the smell of the man's armpits standing in front of me - scarred me for life!

While we were sitting trying to nap in the morning time, I opened my eyes and standing in front of me was Chris' co-worker, Julia.  We were so happy to see her.

 

Look how close together people are standing.  Imagine standing like that for 3-4 hours.

Finally when the show started, it was cool.  Inspirational all the speeches.  Neat to be there, but I think watching on TV sounds good to me.

Giants are Awesome!

Tonight was quite an exciting evening... with the Giants winning the World Series and all.  It was very fun and we are looking forward to attending the parade on Wednesday in San Francisco.  Truth be told, I am a weirdo about San Francisco and hate going to any type of massive gathering or event there.  I have some very irrational fears, like all of us cheering and jumping crazily will trigger a massive earthquake or that if enough people gather together there, SF will fall off and disappear into the ocean.  LOL.. I so wish I was kidding.  Another fear - standing anywhere in the vicinity of Gavin Newsom, the mayor of SF, out of fear a stray lightning strike will hit me.  Again... so wish I was kidding.

Anyway, Chris told me that he always thought it would be cool to go to a World Series parade and since the Giants haven't won since 1954, we don't know how many opportunities in our life we will have to experience the  fun.  So, I am trying to put the fears aside to have fun with my sweetheart.  Gavin Newsom will be there.  Wish us luck.  :)

We baked this cake in honor of the Giants.  Turned out mega awesome!

Happy Anniversary!

It is our 9th anniversary today.  As I was getting into the car this evening, the boys are making a fuss that I not look in the back of the car.  I say, "Whhhhy?  What's back there?"  And James answers, "Some board games for you.  I wanted to get you makeup cause you like makeup and its girly stuff, but dad got games so we could all play together."  And Chris the whole time is saying, "James, your ruining the surprise!"

I was reminded in my giggling of when I was a kid.  One Father's Day, I was so excited about this tie we got my dad.  When you tied the knot in the tie, it looked like a big trout (fish) and for a kid that was really cool.  As I handed the present over to my dad, I blurted out excitedly, "Dad, you're really going  to LOVE this tie." Everyone laughed and I must have turned as red as a tomato as I tried to suck the words back, realizing I had ruined the surprise.  I still get teased about that....

Chris and I celebrated by watching the Giants win the 1st game of the World Series.  No, not in person.  Just on tv, nice and boring.  :)  We are actually celebrating on Friday with a temple trip together.

Dog Poop and Tomatoes

James is watching TV...

James:  Look, Mom.  That thing (on TV) will eat anything!
Mom:  Just like you guys!
James:  No.  I don't eat dog poop or tomatoes.

:)

Bunk Bed Materpiece

As I was tucking James into bed this evening, he said, "Come here, Mom.  Check out my drawing."  I knelt down to see that sometime during the day, he had drawn a big mural of a ship and a lighthouse ON HIS BED.  Yes, I just bought him a bunk bed and the backside of the desk part, he decided looked like a big canvas awaiting it's masterpiece.

He could not understand why I was upset.  In his mind, IT was a very nice picture and he did write on it "God is graet"(great).  lol. I think he knew he did something wrong but figured that writing "God is great" on it made up for it. I will take a picture of it when he is not looking.  I don't want him to see me snickering.  I wasn't happy about it, but I also remember back in the day, my sister coloring a big witch on one of the kitchen table legs.  I think it's still there.  I don't think my mom had the heart to be rid of it.  I also remember one of my brothers writing another brothers name on the closet door.  It's a kid thing... color where you are not supposed to.  In fact, when I was little, I hid under my bed and improved those boring black and white pictures in the library books we checked out, to full color.  After that I was like a prisoner, the library banned me from checking out books for a while.  :)  lol.  What are you gonna do?

P.S.  Made brussel sprouts tonight with dinner.  They were surprisingly good.

FEAR THE BEARD!

Go Giants!!!! A couple of the Giants players have started this "Fear the Beard" thing and dye their bushy beards black. So for the playoff game today, we showed off our beards in support. And it worked!!! Giants won. So should you come over for the next game, you will see us all superstitiously donning our beards and screaming various chants, including, of course "FEAR THE BEARDS!!!"

Even Mama Boyer got in on the Beard action! :)

Sarah REALLY DID fear the beard!! Not liking it at all.

Giants win! Hooray! Should you decide to join us for the next game, be prepared. Fear the beard, baby! And down below, with the double clap in honor of SF! :)

My 10/10/10 Birthday

Today is my birthday. It has been a great birthday. The date today is 10/10/10. Awesome, huh? I was born on my Aunt Heidi's 21st birthday and it has always been a special bond for me to have the same birthday as my auntie. My Aunt Debbie, who is the kindest, sweetest, most good-natured person I know has her birthday the day before. So we are all birthday buddies. We decided that for our birthdays we wanted to do things in 10. So yesterday we:

1. We got our 10 toes pedicured. We had my Granny (who has never had a pedicure in her life before this), Aunt Linda, my Mom, Aunt Heidi, Aunt Debbie, cousin Julie, and her daughter Samantha there.

2. We served lunch at my house to 10 adults. Chris won husband of the year for this one. While we had pedicures, he barbequed tri-tips and prepared the most awesome lunch spread for all the ladies.

3. I stamped 10 nails with cool designs.

4. My aunties and I gathered around the piano and sang 10 songs while my Granny played. Always so heart warming to sing pretty songs with the aunties. They sing so nice!

5. Had 10 people sing us "Happy Birthday".

6. We went to a choir concert where we heard 10 Michael Jackson songs performed. AWESOME! On a side note, my favorite part of the concert was watching this little boy lead the choirs in singing "We are the World". It almost made me tear up watching this little guy. He did such a fantastic job.

7. We took at least 10 people out to eat and to have dessert.

This is us birthday gals at 10:10 p.m. :)

8. We each held a new baby for 10 minutes. Cousin Jamie just had a baby boy and he was such a happy baby letting us "ooh" over him and pass him around.

9. We fit 10 family members on a bench.

10. We did 10 jumping jacks to discourage 10 pounds.

It was a great day, full of great belly laughs! It felt nice to laugh like that.

Today I spent my birthday at Chris' parents house.

Chris mom made an excellent dinner.

I got to give my nephew, Sammie, at least 10 kisses and hold him for way longer than 10 minutes.

I got "happy birthday" wishes and singings from all my favorite people and felt super loved and special. Thanks everyone! I love you bunches and bunches!

And P.S. The Giants won today! Hooray! Even the Giants know how to give me a happy birthday. LET'S GO, GIANTS!